Black kitchens are still one of the most popular colour schemes at Roundhouse. But customers often ask if today’s trend for black kitchens can also work as warm and inviting spaces. With our design expertise, the answer is most definitely yes. It’s a challenge we came across in our Lipman bespoke kitchen. Housed within a zinc-clad extension of a Victorian property, a minimalist black kitchen was the perfect design match for the bold, industrial architecture. The key was to introduce a range of crafted finishes with subtle texture and grain to soften the graphic black silhouette. It’s a fabulous example of our mission for purposeful simplicity. We love doing more with less and celebrating bold, monochrome design. Indeed, creating timeless bespoke kitchens over fleeting trends is what we do best.

Read on and discover how a Roundhouse black kitchen will be the heart of your home, for years to come.

Add texture to black kitchen cabinets

The owners were always set on having a black kitchen to anchor the open plan space.

“It had to be bold, dark and luxurious,” explains Ben Hawkswell, sales design consultant at the Richmond showroom, “but there was interest in how to create definition and layers with the use of texture.”

Texture was crucial to the success of this open plan kitchen. It stops the minimalist kitchen from appearing too clinical and untouchable which is super important for any family hub. We used smooth, matt lacquer in Farrow & Ball’s Railings on the kitchen island, offset with rough sawn, black-stained oak on the wall units. The interplay of subtle textures is tactile and quietly dramatic. And the modern streamlined mood is enhanced by the slick, handle-free cabinets. The result is chic, practical and timeless: a contemporary black kitchen that successfully connects the original building to a new zinc-clad extension. And one that’s a joy to use every day.

Introduce a black kitchen island

Kitchen islands are often used as an accent feature, perhaps in a contrasting colour. But here the all-black concept is strengthened by the striking kitchen island – also in black. Sleek yet multi-purpose, the black kitchen island is equipped with a Bora Pro flush hob, extra storage and a neat breakfast bar area. It allows the clients to prepare meals and chat to their children at the same time – a win/win solution in family kitchens. But it is the clever use of textures that makes the kitchen island shine. Smooth, black matt lacquer doors are paired with a honed Antique Nero granite worktop to embrace the modern industrial mood. Then, brushed chrome taps and accessories add a flash of cool metallic to create a black kitchen design that will never, ever look dull.

Look inside a larder

Larders and pantry cabinets are a number one storage hero – especially for a slick, clutter-free look in a black kitchen. We went one step further in this bespoke kitchen and designed a concealed larder unit to maintain the uninterrupted lines. It’s spot on for stashing small appliances and dried foods but opens up to reveal a warm, walnut lining. It’s another way to bring in that all-important textural element for top-to-toe black kitchens.

As Hawkswell explains: “This kitchen was all about creating a largely singular tone, but with subtle layers of finish and texture.”

Take a look at our storage design ideas and together we can get the most from your luxury black kitchen.

Layer texture in open plan kitchens

It’s important for open plan kitchens to feel cohesive. Large kitchens need to be zoned for different functions but work best with a harmonious palette to pull the look together. In this open plan kitchen texture was the defining element. A polished concrete floor and micro cement walls are used throughout to create a calm, textured backdrop against the striking black kitchen. This choice of understated, industrial materials also becomes the perfect modern day neutral for the client’s Scandi inspired furniture and sofas.

Discover how we can also embrace the black kitchen trend in our modular Studio Collection